Female terminal fitting

Abstract

A female terminal fitting is provided with protection walls 16 to avoid interference of a male terminal fitting M and to guide the male terminal fitting M to a proper position even if it is obliquely inserted. A tongue 9 is provided at or on the bottom surface of a connecting portion 3 of a female terminal fitting F by being turned inwardly so as to be elastically deformable. Protection walls 16 project from side edges of an opening end of the connecting portion 3 in such a manner as to be opposed to each other. Slanting guide surfaces 17 extending away from each other at upper ends of the protection walls 16. When a male terminal fitting M that is inserted obliquely, is slid upward along the guide surfaces to be guided automatically to a proper position.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A female terminal fitting having a front end, a connecting portion extending rearwardly from the front end, the connecting portion being in the form of a substantially rectangular tube having opposed spaced apart top and bottom walls and opposed spaced apart first and second side walls connected to and extending between the top and bottom walls, the connecting portion being dimensioned for receiving a male terminal fitting, a tongue being formed on the bottom wall of the connecting portion for elastic contact with a tab of the male terminal fitting, at least a first protection wall projecting from said first side wall of the connecting portion and extending substantially toward the second side wall of the connecting portion, and disposed forwardly of the tongue, at least one guide surface being formed on the protection wall for sliding contact with the male terminal fitting, the guide surface being tapered with respect to its widthwise direction such that the guide surface is closest to the top wall of the connecting portion at locations adjacent the first side wall and is spaced further from the top wall of the connecting portion at locations closer to the second side wall so as to guide the male terminal fitting to a proper contact position with the tongue. 
     
     
       2. A female terminal fitting according claim  1 , wherein the tongue is formed by being elastically deformed and turned into the connecting portion. 
     
     
       3. A female terminal fitting according to claim  2 , wherein the protection wall substantially covers the turned portion of the tongue. 
     
     
       4. A female terminal fitting according to claim  1 , wherein the female terminal fitting is unitarily formed by bending an electrically conductive metal plate. 
     
     
       5. A female terminal fitting according to claim  1 , further comprising at least one stopper formed in at least one said side wall of the connecting portion, the stopper being located between the bottom wall of the connecting portion and a contact portion of the tongue with the male terminal fitting. 
     
     
       6. A female terminal fitting according to claim  1 , wherein the female terminal fitting further comprises a second protection wall projecting from the second side wall of the connecting portion toward the first side wall thereof, the second protection wall having a guide surface tapered with respect to its widthwise direction so that the guide surface of the second protection wall is closest to the top wall at locations adjacent the second side wall and is spaced further from the top wall at locations further from the second side wall.